The current market for blood plasma in the United States is large, annually grossing approximately 1.5 billion dollars. Two major procedures for the processng of blood plasma are used by major processing plants in the United States and worldwide.
Blood plasma is processed into anti-hemophiliac factor, commonly known as Factor 8. Blood is usually drawn from donors into two 300 ml. plastic bags. The whole blood is taken to a processing lab and placed in a centrifuge. After a cycle time, the red blood cells and platelets are separated from the blood plasma. Because the red blood cells and the platelets are heavier, they are forced to the bottom of the plastic bag by the centrifuge. The plasma is then drawn off the top the bag and is stored in a 600 ml. hard plastic bottle.
On the average, a donor produces 400-500 ml. of plasma at each donation. The plasma is frozen and stored in walk-in coolers to be shipped at a later date to a processing plant. The processing plant turns the plasma protein into anti-hemophiliac factor.
Freezing methods commonly used by the industry are as follows: